It’s that time when carols are played over and over again. In quite an unusual manner, I have just recently been able to start listening to the carols this December. I think Sirius XM playing Marshmallow World over and over again and the 25 channels of my TV playing constant Christmas music have soured me just a little bit.
I was glad to finally sit down at my desk and listen to a few of the deeper carols and be reminded of again of what has become my favorite carol over the last few years ( here, here, here and here) – O Come O Come Emmanuel.
I can’t put my finger on the exact reason that this particular song has taken the number one spot. I think it’s because it not only reminds me of the longing of the world for the Christ to be born long ago, but it also echoes the similar sentiment that follows of the Christ have today around the return of the same King. Each verse ( and there are a lot of versions and verses) extols the virtues of the coming King and encourages us to rejoice in that coming.
But rejoice in so far as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:13
It also reminds me again how much joy is found in knowing that his coming resolved so much of the complexity of the world for us.
Sing it with me, O Israel….
O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.